Birmingham in Jefferson County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
Reading Red Mountain
Photographed By Mark Hilton, December 26, 2021
1. Reading Red Mountain Marker
The Big Seam
The red iron ore labeled "The Big Seam" in the diagram below appears as an outcrop over this sign. It extends all the way to Gadsden, 60 miles to the northeast. To the south, it runs as far as Hoover, where it is a mile underground!
The seam of red iron ore was formed over 400 million years ago in the Silurian Period. Since 1870 this seam has yielded an estimated 300 million tons of ore. Because of its essential role in Alabama's iron and steel industry, red iron ore, or hematite, is the official state mineral.
Why so slanted?
Red Mountain's rock layers used to lie flat. But 280 million years ago, collisions between the modern-day continents of North America and Africa caused the layers of rock to compress into steeply tilted anticlines, or sloping layers of rock. Over millions of years, erosion created Jones Valley and exposed rich beds of iron.
[Caption]
This cross section of Red Mountain reveals a geological timeline that stretches back millions of years.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Natural Features. A significant historical year for this entry is 1870.
Location. 33° 29.537′ N, 86° 47.717′ W. Marker is in Birmingham, Alabama, in Jefferson County.
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Birmingham Mineral Railroad Point of Curve Marker (here, next to this marker); Kiwanis and Vulcan (a few steps from this marker); Before Birmingham: Jones Valley (a few steps from this marker); Mineral Railroad Trestle (within shouting distance of this marker); A New City (within shouting distance of this marker); Industry (within shouting distance of this marker); Mining Red Mountain (within shouting distance of this marker); The Lone Pine Mine (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Birmingham.
Also see . . . Wikipedia article on Red Mountain. (Submitted on December 26, 2021, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)
Photographed By Mark Hilton, December 26, 2021
2. The iron ore, labeled "The Big Seam", can be seen in the outcrop above marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 26, 2021. It was originally submitted on December 26, 2021, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 307 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 26, 2021, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
